Method of and apparatus for treating crude oil



Aug. 93 0 H. HOPPE 1 81,49

Y METHOD OF AND APPARATUS'FOR TREATING CRUDE OIL I Filed May 24, 1929' TREATED 0/1.

P/L TIER 41. 7' WATER LEI/EL S TEA) f4 'atented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BERMAN HOPE/E, or roman, '1EXAS METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING CRUDE OIL Application filed ma 24, 1929. Serial No. 365,768.

separate the salt water from the crude oil by a simple process that does not require the use of chemicals or expensive apparatus.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention resides in certain novel steps of the method hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims and also in the apparatus used in carrying out the method, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing, which is a section through an apparatus used for carrying out this method, the preferred form of apparatus has been illustrated.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, 1 designates a tank mounted on a suitable supporting structure 2 and arranged within this tank is a coiled steam pipe 3 having a valved inlet 4 and a valved outlet 5. Supported in the tank and above the coil is a spraying pipe 6 communicating through the valved pipe 7 with a tank or other structure holding the supply of crude oil to be treated. Pipe 6 is adapted to spray the oil downwardly on to the coils which, being heated to a high temperature by the steam therein, will cause the small globules of oil with salt water therein to burst, thereby freeing the salt water from the oil.

Arranged below the level of the tank 1 is another larger tank 8 in the lower portion of which is supported a spraying pipe 9 connected by a pipe 10 with the lower portion of the tank 1, the flow of fluid through this pipe being controlled by a Valve 11. A steam header 12 is located adjacent to the tank 8 and has connected to it superposed steam coils 13 and 14 between which is located the spraying pipe 9. Each of these coils has an outlet 15 provided with a valve 16, and valves 17 are employed for controlling the flow of,

- steam to the coils from the header 12.

Additional steam coils 18 are arranged in tank 8, these coils likewise being provided 5 with valved inlets and outlets. Interposed between the lower coil 18 and the coil 14 is a baffle formed of superposed screens 19! between which is held a matted mass 20 of filtering material in the form of steel wool or other metal shavings. Another baffle structure indicated generally at 21 and corresponding with that illustrated at 19 and 20 is located in the tank 8 between the two upper coils coil 18 is another baffle structure 22 like the bafiie structure 21. An outlet for treated oil is provided at'23 and may be formed with a valve 24.

18 while above the uppermost 6 In practice the oil to be treated is directed into the upper tank 1 through the spray pipe 6 as already explained and, when it comes into contact with the coil 3, which is heated to a temperature sufficient to explode the globules containing the salt water.

sultant mixture of oil and water will flow through the pipe 10 to the spray pi e 9 into the bottom portion of the tank 8. ere the contents of the tank will be heated to a temperature of from 120 F. to steam coils 13 and 14 and rise within the tank through the baflie structures. Generally from 2 to 3 minutes are required for the 011 'to flow through the tank. The crude oil,

180 F; by the 8 The rebeing lighter than salt water, will rise to the top of the tank and 'flow therefrom through the pipe 23. If desired the mixture can be agitated by gas admitted through a perforated pipe 25 located in the lower portion of a the tank 8.

It is to be understood that the tank 8 is to be kept partly filled with salt water, the level of this water being indicated at 26.

What is claimed is 1. The herein described method of sepa- 9 rating crude oil from salt water mixed there-' with, which consists in spraying the oil upon a surface heated to a sufficient temperature to explode the globules of oil and water, thereno after delivering the mixture of oil and salt water into the bottom portion of a body 'of heated salt water through which the crude oil will rise to be drawn oficfrom the surface;

- raying into the water and oil to agitate 5 them, ancfifien filtering the oil as it p thro h the body of salt water.

- 2. ,a paratus for usein the separation of crude 011 from salt water mixed therewith, including a tank havinga coil, means for conto ducting a heating medium to the coil, means for spraying the oil on the coil, thereby to explode the globules of oil and water, a sec- .ond tank for holding salt water, a coil therein, means for conductin a heating medium 15 to said coil, means for meeting t e treated contents of the first tan'k into the bottom p01: 1 tion of the second tank, spaced su rposed filters in the second tank for retar g the g upward flow of the oil through the salt water. 1

. go and means for spraying fluid into. the ,sec-

ond tank to agitate the contents thereon-f; In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed m% Isi 'ature'.

- HERMAN 0%BE; up 

